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And Now For Something Completely Different
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And Now For Something Completely Different |
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Masked Intruder
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-05-23
Posts 1231Near golden sunsets 
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Due to the legal technicalities, I am going to laugh in Tennessee William's face and say, "Nah, nah, nah, you are dead so don't sue me for posting this!" And then I am going to state that, "The following is a rendition using the characters and scene from 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' by Tennessee Williams, all rights are to him reserved and may I rot in hell if I screwed up somewhere." The following is an original act added into Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. [Pick up on page 82 of ACT II. Brick has just asked Big Daddy to take a look at his birthday fireworks and is walking towards the gallery door. He stands in the gallery doorway as the night sky turns pink and green and gold with successive flashes of light.] BIG DADDY: WAIT!—Brick …. [His voice drops. Suddenly there is something strange, almost concerned in his voice and his face. Big Daddy is about to express something uncomfortable for him, something he is not used to doing.] Don’t get me wrong, Brick. I am fond of you, son! BRICK: I believe you, Big Daddy. BIG DADDY: Then I hope you realize why I am going to do this. I hope to God you do. BRICK: What are you meaning to do, Big Daddy? [Big Daddy reaches into his jacket and looks at his son, pain like a mask on his face.] BIG DADDY: I am fond of you, Brick. More fond of you than any one in this house. [Big Daddy slowly pulls out a pistol, small and black, but loaded. He points it at Brick, chest level.] To tell you the truth, son, I don’t know that I have love for any of them others. Having for instance to pretend like I care for Big Mamma!—I haven’t been able to stand the sight, sound, or smell or that woman for forty years now! Pretend to love that son of a ***** of a Gooper and his wife Mae and those five same screechers out there like parrots in a jungle? Jesus! Can’t stand to look at ‘em! [Big Daddy is waving the gun around, using it to emphasize point after point. Every now and then, making a strong pointing gesture with it towards Brick.] BRICK: Be careful with that, Big Daddy! Some one is liable to get hurt! BIG DADDY: I intend to hurt someone with it, Brick! I intend to hurt him so bad that his mind will be put back to how it should be! BRICK: Who do you mean, Big Daddy? [Brick has backed up against the liquor cabinet now, pressed up against it like a cornered mouse. He is very scared that Big Daddy means to use the gun on him.] BIG DADDY: I mean you, Brick! [This is emphasized with another strong pointing motion with the gun, and a step towards Brick.] I am going to put the fear of God into you! That click in your head, has it prepared you for something such as this, son? Are you willing to die for your liquor, Brick?! [Suddenly Revered Tooker appears in the gallery doors, his head slightly, playfully, fatuously cocked, with a practiced clergyman’s smile, sincere as a bird-call blown on a hunter’s whistle, the living embodiment of the pious, conventional lie. [Big Daddy gasps a little at this perfectly timed, but incongruous, apparition.] --What’re you lookin’ for, Preacher? REVEREND TOOKER: The gentleman’s lavatory, ha ha!— [His laugh is nervous, now that he has seen the gun in Big Daddy’s hand. Brick casts fearful pleading looks toward Reverend Tooker.] Oh my—heh, heh… [exit without further from him.] BIG DADDY: [softer now. The gun is at his side.] Are you, Brick? Are you willing to die? BRICK: I…I don’t know, sir. BIG DADDY [violently]: [The gun comes up quickly and Big Daddy approaches to within feet from Brick.] You should know, son! You should know! [The first shot is fired, shattering glass in the liquor cabinet. Brick crouches down, covering his head with his arms and hands. The second shot is fired, and the third and fourth. No glass remains intact within the cabinet, shards lie on the floor and on Brick’s back.] GOOPER [rushing in]: Big Daddy! Is everything all right in here? [Gooper is followed by Mae and Big Mamma, Reverend Tooker close behind them. Maggie slowly walks comes in behind them, then seeing Brick, runs to him to make sure he is not hurt.] I heard shots! BIG DADDY [vehemently waving the gun towards them]: That is because I have a gun, Gooper! Can you not see the gun in my hand, boy? BIG MAMMA [wringing her hands]: Be careful, Big Daddy! Don’t shoot your boy! [straining to look behind Big Daddy towards Brick] Brick! Brick, are you okay? BIG DADDY: Out! Out, damn it! Get out! [Big Daddy waves the gun towards all of them, ushering them like a flock of sheep. Mae and Big Mama quickly flee from the room, only just passing Reverend Tooker. Maggie is overlooked with Brick. Gooper stands firm, his chin erect with his hands behind his back.] You lookin’ to get shot, Gooper? Is that it? [He pushes the short barrel into Gooper’s chest.] GOOPER [his poise lost, nervously backing away from Big Daddy towards the door]: No, sir, Big Daddy! Not lookin’ to get shot! No, sir. [still backing away] You have a lot of nerve, Big Daddy, for a dyin’man. [he flees out of the room [The gun in Big Daddy’s hand drops to his side, for the moment forgotten. He looks shaken up at this revelation.] BIG DADDY [very softly, without turning around]: Maggie. What did Gooper mean by that? MARGARET [looking up from Brick]: Mean by what, Big Daddy? BIG DADDY: What he just said? “For a dyin’ man.” [Maggie exchanges glances with Brick, those glances that have a thousand words in them. Brick nods affirmation.] MARGARET [moving closer to Big Daddy, casting worried looks at the gun still in his hand.]: You should sit down, Big Daddy. It will do you no good taking this news standing up. [Big Daddy is shaking, trembling all over. He moves to the bed and slowly sits down on it, his hands with the gun resting, again forgotten, in his lap.] Big Daddy, the doctor’s were not all that forthcoming with you. BIG DADDY [after a pause]: What does that mean? “Not all that forthcoming?” What didn’t they tell me, Maggie? Brick, they told me I had a spastic colon, but I am in perfect health otherwise! What didn’t they tell me, Brick? [Another one of those glances passes from Maggie to Brick. Brick is now sitting up, resting against the liquor cabinet. Maggie is standing off to one side.] BRICK [with a sigh]: You are going to die, Big Daddy. BIG DADDY [firmly]: We all going to die one day, Brick. BRICK: You are going to die soon, Big Daddy. [Big Daddy looks down at the gun in his hands. He seems to be seriously contemplating the metal curves, the blackness of the weapon. He turns it over in his hands, opening the chamber and counting the bullets still remaining inside. [Maggie worriedly looks at Brick, then back to Big Daddy.] BIG DADDY: Why didn’t they tell me, Brick? I deserve to know when I’m goin’ to die. [a minute passes and Brick hasn’t said anything] Every man deserves to know if he is goin’ to die. Every man. [he looks sadly at the gun this time and takes a long breath] Every man. [The gun goes toward his head, moving to align with his right temple] MARGARET [reaching toward Big Daddy, pleadingly]: Big Daddy! No! Please no! BRICK [struggling to rise on his broken foot, and slipping on the broken glass]: Daddy, no! Not like this! BIG DADDY: Is the other way better?! To slowly rot on the inside? [Brick finally rises, hobbling toward Big Daddy, shaking his head.] BRICK: No, sir! No way is good, Big Daddy! No way is a good way to die! [His arms right arm is stretched out toward Big Daddy, the other is used to hold himself up.] BIG DADDY [Tears coming from his eyes, compassion rolling from them to his son]: Remember that, my boy! [He whispers] Remember that. [The curtain falls to the sound of the fifth bullet shot and Maggie’s scream.] |
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